Serious
by LiveinLivingColor
Summary: I might make jokes and do Kevin Bacon dance moves and make up stupid code names like Levon Tostig, but you…you I take seriously. You matter. " Shules, post-finale.


Juliet O'Hara did not cry over a man. Especially if that man seemed to have the maturity of a twelve year old and made pop culture references at murder scenes. But sitting in the driver's seat of her VW Bug, she leaned against the steering wheel, let out a sigh, and cried. The nagging thought that she should not be wasting tears on Shawn Spencer recurred, and she tried to remind herself that she'd been offered dates with quite a few men, ones that didn't have other dates waiting for them outside.

But he was the one that mattered, her "one that got away", and she let the tears come as she scolded herself for declaring her feelings at the worst time possible.

XXX

Two Weeks Later:

Abigail sat up abruptly as the movie hit its halfway point. "Look, Shawn, I really do like you-"

"But?"

"What?"

"There's always a 'but' after that phrase."

Abigail looked at him pointedly. "But-"

"Aha! See, I told you."

"Shawn…I have to go. I can't do this anymore."

"You don't like _The Breakfast Club_? Because I own other DVDs…"

"Shawn. I can't do _this._ Us."

"Oh. That. But why-"

"You know why. You've known why from the beginning."

"I…"

"I got offered another job in Washington and I'm taking it. Don't make her wait, Shawn. I know what it feels like to be left standing alone."

He watched her walk away, and the expected feeling of regret never came. He only thought to pick up his helmet, get on his bike, and drive.

XXX

Juliet sat at her desk, the light from the lamp beginning to hurt her eyes. She put her head in her hands, looking away from the long stack of papers she was supposed to read, distracting her from going home, sitting alone, and thinking too much.

"Late night, huh?"

"Shawn," She whispered, "You scared me."

"Sorry."

The two looked away from each other, trying to break the awkwardness between them.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. The psychic had been seemingly avoiding the station, keeping to himself rather than searching for cases, and she wondered if it was because of her. She immediately dismissed that thought, knowing it was because he was busy with his overdue girlfriend.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Where's…Abigail?" she asked, resisting the urge to cringe.

"She's leaving."

"What?"

"Yeah, she didn't like _The Breakfast Club_. I don't understand why, it's a classic-"

"God, Shawn, can you ever be serious for more than thirty seconds?"

He stopped, caught off guard. She normally seemed to find his wittiness endearing, but tonight, her expression made it clear that she was not in the mood for his usual games.

"She got offered another job in Washington and took it."

"I'm sorry." She lied, trying to sound sympathetic.

"Look, Jules…she said…not to make you wait."

"What?"

"She knows. About…what you said to me that night."

"You told her?!"

"No, she figured it out on her own."

Juliet sighed. "I'm sorry I said anything. I shouldn't have assumed you'd be at a drive in by yourself with a huge bucket of popcorn- wait, you know, that's actually something you _would _do- but that's beside the point. I'm sorry I had such bad timing. I wasn't thinking straight and I blurted things out, which I do when I don't plan well enough. I was impulsive and I shouldn't have cornered you like that. I don't know why I said what I did, and I'd take it back if I could. I'm sorry."

"What?!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening. "You _take it back_?! You can't do that! After all this time, you cannot just say that was a mistake."

"You wanted to be with Abigail, Shawn, I shouldn't have stood in the way of that. Forget I said anything."

"No."

She glanced up at him quizzically. "What?"

"No. I will not forget that you said what I've been waiting for you to say for two years."

"But-"

"I might make jokes and do Kevin Bacon dance moves and make up stupid code names like Levon Tostig, but you…you I take seriously. You matter. I know you think I didn't care about you when I had to say no that night, but I have been in love with you since the day I met you, and I will not pretend that didn't happen."

"Shawn, you…did you just say what I think you just said?"

"I…think so. I've never actually said that to anyone before."

"Do you…are you serious?"

He paused, looking at the shocked expression in her eyes, and replied, "Yeah. I am."

"So, does this mean…you're taking me up on that dinner offer?"

He smirked, matching the smile growing on her face, "Definitely. I'll see you tomorrow, Jules."

"What? Where are you going?"

"I have to be up early tomorrow morning. I have important work to do with the police department."

"Oh, really?"

"Yep. And I have a date tomorrow night, so I have to get ready for that."

She smirked. "Goodnight, Shawn."

"'Night, Jules."

She watched him walk away and glanced at the pile of papers on her desk. _One more day won't make a difference_, she thought, clicking her lamp off and jogging to catch up with Shawn in the parking lot.

"Hey, wait!"

Shawn turned around at the sound of her voice and walked her walk towards him, the door to the station slamming behind her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I call it…very close talking."

He laughed but was cut off by her lips on his, pulled away almost as quickly.

"For the record," she said, smiling, "I will watch _The Breakfast Club_ as many times as you want."

He watched as she walked off to her car, placing a finger to his lips. This was good, he thought, grinning as he walked towards his motorcycle, this was very good.


End file.
